Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. Raises Stock Position in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO)

Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc. grew its stake in Atmos Energy Co. (NYSE:ATO) by 4.1% in the 3rd quarter, according to its most recent filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The institutional investor owned 885,950 shares of the utilities provider’s stock after purchasing an additional 34,555 shares during the quarter. Charles Schwab Investment Management Inc.’s holdings in Atmos Energy were worth $122,890,000 at the end of the most recent quarter.

Several other institutional investors and hedge funds have also recently modified their holdings of ATO. Innealta Capital LLC bought a new position in Atmos Energy in the second quarter worth about $37,000. PFS Partners LLC purchased a new position in Atmos Energy during the third quarter valued at $69,000. GAMMA Investing LLC lifted its position in Atmos Energy by 75.6% during the second quarter. GAMMA Investing LLC now owns 778 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $91,000 after buying an additional 335 shares during the period. First Horizon Advisors Inc. boosted its holdings in shares of Atmos Energy by 158.3% during the 2nd quarter. First Horizon Advisors Inc. now owns 997 shares of the utilities provider’s stock valued at $116,000 after buying an additional 611 shares in the last quarter. Finally, Lummis Asset Management LP grew its position in shares of Atmos Energy by 50.0% in the 2nd quarter. Lummis Asset Management LP now owns 1,128 shares of the utilities provider’s stock worth $132,000 after buying an additional 376 shares during the period. 90.17% of the stock is owned by hedge funds and other institutional investors.

Atmos Energy Stock Performance

Shares of ATO opened at $150.13 on Tuesday. Atmos Energy Co. has a 12 month low of $110.46 and a 12 month high of $151.24. The business’s fifty day simple moving average is $141.02 and its two-hundred day simple moving average is $128.90. The company has a current ratio of 0.94, a quick ratio of 0.80 and a debt-to-equity ratio of 0.65. The company has a market cap of $23.33 billion, a price-to-earnings ratio of 21.85, a P/E/G ratio of 3.00 and a beta of 0.68.

Atmos Energy Increases Dividend

The firm also recently disclosed a quarterly dividend, which will be paid on Monday, December 9th. Investors of record on Monday, November 25th will be issued a $0.87 dividend. This represents a $3.48 annualized dividend and a yield of 2.32%. This is an increase from Atmos Energy’s previous quarterly dividend of $0.81. The ex-dividend date of this dividend is Monday, November 25th. Atmos Energy’s dividend payout ratio (DPR) is presently 46.87%.

Insiders Place Their Bets

In related news, Director Edward Geiser bought 2,500 shares of the business’s stock in a transaction on Monday, November 11th. The stock was acquired at an average price of $144.89 per share, with a total value of $362,225.00. Following the transaction, the director now owns 2,602 shares in the company, valued at approximately $377,003.78. This trade represents a 2,450.98 % increase in their position. The purchase was disclosed in a filing with the SEC, which is accessible through this link. 0.50% of the stock is owned by insiders.

Analysts Set New Price Targets

Several research firms recently commented on ATO. LADENBURG THALM/SH SH boosted their price objective on shares of Atmos Energy from $144.00 to $150.50 and gave the stock a “buy” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 2nd. StockNews.com raised Atmos Energy from a “sell” rating to a “hold” rating in a research report on Thursday, November 7th. Barclays upped their price target on Atmos Energy from $129.00 to $144.00 and gave the stock an “equal weight” rating in a research note on Monday, October 7th. Wells Fargo & Company lifted their price objective on Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $156.00 and gave the company an “overweight” rating in a research note on Wednesday, October 16th. Finally, Morgan Stanley cut their target price on Atmos Energy from $145.00 to $143.00 and set an “overweight” rating on the stock in a research note on Friday. Four equities research analysts have rated the stock with a hold rating and five have given a buy rating to the company. According to data from MarketBeat, Atmos Energy presently has an average rating of “Moderate Buy” and a consensus price target of $144.31.

About Atmos Energy

Atmos Energy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the regulated natural gas distribution, and pipeline and storage businesses in the United States. It operates through two segments, Distribution, and Pipeline and Storage. The Distribution segment is involved in the regulated natural gas distribution and related sales operations in eight states.